Underrated guitarists

[Sancho]

"Borrowed" the idea from fbloke, who brought it up in the "Guitarists you don't get" thread. All credit to him.

So, who never got the respect and recognition they deserved? Who's toiling away in unmerited obscurity?

For me, two names always come up.
Criss Oliva. Savatage's metal master. One of the greatest allround heavy metal guitarists of the era. Killer riffs and insane soloing. Never got him any credit outside the metal scene. Guitar mags never bothered with him, to the point they even ignored his death. Not a single column inch...
Required listening : Savatage's Gutter Ballet may be the easiest introduction.

Mark Reale. Has been leading Riot since the late seventies. Best known for the Fire Down Under album, Riot have kept going, releasing good album after good album. He stepped up his game in the second half of the eighties and laid the blueprint of power metal with the brilliant Thundersteel album. Check out the riffs in the title track.

[Telerocker]

"Borrowed" the idea from fbloke, who brought it up in the "Guitarists you don't get" thread. All credit to him.

So, who never got the respect and recognition they deserved? Who's toiling away in unmerited obscurity?

For me, two names always come up.
Criss Oliva. Savatage's metal master. One of the greatest allround heavy metal guitarists of the era. Killer riffs and insane soloing. Never got him any credit outside the metal scene. Guitar mags never bothered with him, to the point they even ignored his death. Not a single column inch...
Required listening : Savatage's Gutter Ballet may be the easiest introduction.

Mark Reale. Has been leading Riot since the late seventies. Best known for the Fire Down Under album, Riot have kept going, releasing good album after good album. He stepped up his game in the second half of the eighties and laid the blueprint of power metal with the brilliant Thundersteel album. Check out the riffs in the title track.

I always liked Andy Summers. Maybe bec The Police was something new in my young years.  But Andy plays nice jazzy stuff too.
Jan Akkerman, the guitarist from early Focus, has been underrated all his life and he is a bit pissed about that himself.

Vid from 1973, but still fun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4ouPGGLI6Q

[Elliot]

I reckon Eric Clapton is pretty underrated these days  :P

[FELINEGUITARS]

Chris Oliva
Dave Meniketti
Mark Kendall
John Norum
Bob Kulick
Russ Parish!!!!!!!

[Nephilim]

I personally think Jake E. Lee is a very underated guitarist. I think because he came straight after Randy Rhoads, people were still getting over Randy's death as well as how much of a great guitarist he was! U listen to the 2 Ozzy albums Jake E. lee was on, and you can't help but to really appreciate his style, as well as his inventiveness. To name a well known song: Shot in the Dark was a great song in terms of uniquness. He tuned his guitar to a weird tuning, and managed to creat a great opening out of harmonics and bending the strings behind the nut. He really was on a different level when it came to songwriting.

[Dmoney]

Dr Know of Bad Brains fame. Easily one of the most influential but most overlooked players.

[Philly Q]

+1 to a few of those mentioned already.

Brad Gillis
Chris Poland
Andy Powell, Ted Turner and Laurie Wisefield
Rick Derringer
Michael Amott
Alex Lifeson
Richie Kotzen
Reb Beach (but only with Winger!)
Kerry Livgren
Dann Huff
Ronnie Montrose
Ty Tabor
Mike Slamer
Jason Bieler
Stevie Salas
Bruce Franklin and Rick Wartell (of Trouble)

None of those guys are exactly unknowns, but I don't think they get as much recognition as they deserve.  I think they're all pretty special.

[Afghan Dave]

GEOFF TYSON!!! or Jeff Tyson back in T-Ride.

He could do it all, possibly the most creative rhythm player in rock/metal plus unbelievable skills. Made Nuno who was getting all the praise at the time look shitee.

Sadly, Nevermind has just hit and the market died so they never got the credit they deserved.  :(

His solo piece from the album:
http://youtu.be/rI5OgDLbMRA

And a more representative song:

http://youtu.be/c10fsnP6N5I

[dave_mc]

In addition to those already mentioned (because I agree with a lot of them... the ones i've heard of, anyway :oops: ) phil collen, probably. I mean he's pretty famous because of def leppard, but he never seems to get that much credit as a player.

[gordiji]

agree with telerocker about Jan Akkerman and philly with Ronnie Montrose. i loved montrose in the late 70's and saw
them in a smallish bar in california in 92, kind of thought wow is ronnie still playing and play he did, superb rock blueser.
i'd have to add George Benson, ok he's world famous, but probably for his disco stuff. outside jazz circles no one
pays much attention but he's another i saw live in the 90's and his ability floored me.stunning.
i've not seen Phil Sayce but i think he'd be on my list too, 'i get him'. i know he's liked on the forum.

[Sancho]

Most of the guys mentioned here do at least get some mention in the specialised press from time to time.

Chris Oliva
Dave Meniketti
Mark Kendall
John Norum
Bob Kulick
Russ Parish!!!!!!!

An excellent list. Kendall is a very tasty bluesy player. Parrish is a killer. Meniketti... we are not worthy.

[Madsakre]

To me its Candlemass' Lars "Lasse" Johansson. He has such a strong feel in all his solo's. Neoclassical influences, just without the gimmicks. And their music is $%&#ING brilliant!

A must listen must be:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3uvf0cn0jo - Actually a must see :D Learn the DOOM DANCE :D

[Dmoney]

To me its Candlemass' Lars "Lasse" Johansson. He has such a strong feel in all his solo's. Neoclassical influences, just without the gimmicks. And their music is $%&#ING brilliant!

A must listen must be:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3uvf0cn0jo - Actually a must see :D Learn the DOOM DANCE :D

Does a good job of miming that solo while having his picking hand in a cast.

[Sancho]

To me its Candlemass' Lars "Lasse" Johansson. He has such a strong feel in all his solo's. Neoclassical influences, just without the gimmicks. And their music is $%&#ING brilliant!

Another great call!!

[tomjackson]

I always thought Robby Krieger was underrated.  At a time while most guitarists were just trying to out blues one another, he was coming up with really original stuff, mixing flamenco, pop, blues and jazz.

Antonio Forcione

Jimmy Page.  Bit tongue in cheeck this one, but he cropped up on the other thread a fair amount as did Hendrix.
I think with these guys they opened doors and pushed boundaries, it's easy to look back and say some of their playing was sloppy but some of the people who don't get them seem to revere the guitarists who started from where they left off.  

Noel Gallagher.  Now I must be taking the P!ss.  But unfortunately not.  I think most choices seem to be based on guitar solos but having learned a lot of cover songs for gigs I'd have to say his songwriting and chord choices are very intresting.  Solos as dull as dishwater but he can write a song.  Now I'm not saying I'm a abig fan, but he is underatted